With an open roster spot and a need to replace the departed Kurt Thomas with another big man, the Suns are willing to let a sparse free agent crop at the position dwindle, waiting to see whether veteran P.J. Brown decides to play and if he is interested in Phoenix.

Melvin Ely, Brian Skinner, Michael Sweetney and even Chris Webber ? like Brown, a player leaning toward retirement and who would require more than the veteran minimum salary to attract ? are also possibilities.